Time-indicator.



C. l. HALL.

TIME INDICATOR.

APPLICATION man JUNE 18. 1913,

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

i! IIIIIIIIII UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHESTER I. ,HALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO ELECTRIC METER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

TIME-INDICATOR.

Application filed June 18, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHESTER I. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Time-Indicators, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to time indicators and its object is to provide a device with which an automobile or other vehicle, or, in fact, any machine may be equipped for the purpose of indicating the elapsed time during which the machine is in actual use.

As automobiles nowadays are almost universally equipped with speedometers of one kind or another, I find it convenient to associate my time indicator with a speedometer in such a way thatthe time indieating devices are actuated when, and only when, the automobile is in actual use. The speedometer is, of course, connected by means of a flexible shaft, or otherwise, with a moving part of the automobile in such a way that it is operated when the automobile is in mot-ion.

The device herein described and subsequently claimed comprises a speedometer and a clock mechanism mounted side by side. The speedometer is provided with the usual power transmitting devices, whereby it is operated from a moving part of the vehicle. When the vehicle, and consequently the speedometer, are inert, the balance wheel of the clock mechanism is engaged by an arm extending from the speedometer, thereby preventing operation of the clock mechanism. When, however, the vehicle is in motion and the speedometer parts are actuated, the said arm is disengaged from the balance wheel and the clock mechanism is permitted to operate. Inasmuch as the movable speedometer parts are actuated only when the vehicle is in motion, it follows that the clock hands will indicate only the elapsed time during which the vehicle has been in motion.

By having the indicator show only the elapsed time during which the vehicle has been actually in motion, the driver is enabled to have a record of the actual running time in addition to the indications of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Serial No. 774,290.

the clock hands and returning finds that the hands are advanced, he at once knows that someone has used his machine in his absence and, furthermore, knows how long the machine was thus so used.

These and other features of the device of my invention are described in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the device of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, certain parts being broken away to more clearly reveal the inner construction;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken on the line 44: of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings, I have shown at 5 a casing for a speedometer and at 6 a similar casing for my time indicator, the said casings being disposed side by side and connected by means of an integral web. The speedometer, which may be of any suitable type, is provided with the usual indicating devices, as illustrated. A flexible shaft disposed in a casing 9 is provided for transmitting power from a movable part of the vehicle to the speedometer. The clock mechanism located in the casing 6 is provided with a dial and hands, as shown. The rear portion of the casings 5 and 6 are connected by means of a member 10, having a passage therethrough, the purpose of which will presently. be explained.

Operatively connected with the movable speedometer mechanism is a shaft 11, the upper end of which bears in a frame 12 carried by the casing 5. Rigidly mounted upon this shaft 11 is a disk 13, which con stitutes one element of a novel friction clutch. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 11 is a second disk 14 which is provided with springs 15 engaging the disk 13. Loosely mounted upon the shaft 11, as indicated at 16, is an arm 17, this arm being connected to the disk 11 by means of a coiled spring 19 having its inner end secured to the arm and its outer end secured to the disk 14 near the periphery thereof. A helical spring 20, acting between the arm 17 and one of the supports for the frame 12 tends to retain the arm 17 in the position shown in Fig. 3.

The clock mechanism comprises the escapement wheel 21, coiiperating with the usual escapement pawl 22 having an arm engaging with and oscillated by a balance wheel 23, there being associated with the balance Wheel 23 the usual hair-spring 24, as illustrated. The balance wheel 23 is provided with a peripheral lug 25 which, when the arm 17 is in the position shown in F ig. 3, is engaged by a fiat spring 26 carried by the arm 17, the operation of the clock mechanism being thus prevented.

The positions of the various parts shown in the drawings are those assumed when the speedometer devices are at rest. When the vehicle is started and the speedometer devices are actuated, the shaft 11 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows, thereby rotating the disk 13 and the disk 14 due to the clutch springs interposed between said disks. Nhen the disks are so rotated the coiled spring 19 is wound up and the arm 17 is moved against the tension of helical spring 20 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The spring 26 is thereby disengaged from lug 25 and the balance wheel 23 swings in the direction indicated by the arrow. The clock mechanism continues to operate as long as the spring 26 is disengaged from lug 25, the balance wheel, of course, swinging to and fro upon its axis in a manner well-known to those skilled in the art. After the spring 19 has been sufliciently wound up, the springs 15 slip upon the upper surface of the disk 13. It will thus be seen that as long as the shaft 11 is actuated, the arm 17 will be held in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and the time indicating devices will 0per ate. When the vehicle stops moving and consequently the operation of the speedometer devices and rotating disk 13 ceases, the spring 20 moves the arm 17 to its initial position, whereupon the lug 25 of the balance wheel is engaged and the time indicators operation is stopped, springs 15 slipping upon the disk 13 to permit movement of said arm.

From the above description, it will readily be seen that the clock mechanism is permitted to operate only when the vehicle with which it is associated is in motion and that, therefore, the clock hands will indicate the actual running time of the vehicle.

While I have illustrated my invention in the particular embodiment herein shown and described, I do not, however, limit myself to this particular construction, but desire to claim broadly any equivalents thereof. Moreover, while I have described the time indicator of my invention as adaptable for association with a vehicle, it is to be borne in mind that it is capable of being used to indicate the elapsed time during which any machine whatsoever is in motion.

The clock which forms a part of the device of my invention may be provided with any suitable resetting means in order that the clock may start from any position desired.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Means for indicating the elapsed time during which a machine is in motion, comprising a clock mechanism, a shaft driven by the machine, a friction clutch having one member mounted on said shaft, a detent device for said clock mechanism operatively connected with the other clutch member, and a coiled spring normally holding said detent device in operative position.

2. Means for indicating the elapsed time during which a machine is in motion, comprising a clock mechanism, a shaft driven by the machine, a clutch comprising a pair of friction disks, one of said disks being mounted on said shaft, and a detent device for said clock mechanism operatively connected with the other clutch disk.

3. Means for indicating the elapsed time during which a machine is in motion comprising a clock mechanism, a shaft driven by the machine, a clutch comprising a pair of friction disks, one of said disks being rigidly mounted on said shaft, and a detent device for said clock mechanism operatively connected with the other clutch disk, one of said disks being provided with a spring bearing against the other disk and adapted to slip relatively thereto when said shaft is rotating and after said last-mentioned dlsk has been moved an amount sufficient to operate the detent device.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 9th day of June, 1913.

CHESTER I. HALL.

Witnesses:

A. G. MGCALEB, ROBERT F. BRACKE. 

